Hemerocallis plant named ‘SPd 06-16’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hemerocallis  named ‘SPd 06-16’, characterized by its flowers that are about 10 cm in diameter and are golden yellow in color with gold-green throats, its flowers that fully open under cool growing conditions and are self cleaning, flower petals that are oval in shape, heavy in substance, and have lightly ruffled edges, its blooming habit that commences very early in the season with continuous re-bloom until frost on recurrent, branched scapes with high bud counts, its foliage that is evergreen, semi-evergreen or dormant depending on the growing climate with suitability in a variety of growing climates, its compact plant habit with grass-like foliage, its fast multiplication rate, and its hardiness in at least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 11, and its high tolerance to daylily rust.

Botanical classification: Hemerocallis hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘SPd 06-16’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-02’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,181), Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-01’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,140), Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-08’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,126), Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-11’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,151), Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-12’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,127) and Hemerocallis Plant Named ‘Spd 06-13’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,125).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Hemerocallis ‘SPd 06-16’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘SPd 06-16’.

The new cultivar was developed through on on-going breeding program conducted by the Inventor in McIntosh, Fla. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of tetraploid Hemerocallis that exhibit early and continuous flowering on recurrent, branched scapes with high bud counts and flowers that fully open during cool conditions, have bright flower color, heavy petal substance, and clean shedding of the old flowers to allow new buds to fully develop. Further objectives of the breeding program include developing plants that exhibit a high multiplication rate, short blooms stalks, foliage that is grass-like and compact, cold and heat hardiness and resistance to daylily rust.

The Inventor made crosses in summer of 2005 between specific unnamed proprietary male and female parents in his breeding line and pooled all the resulting seed from his crosses and evaluated the resulting seedlings based on the objectives of the breeding program. ‘SPd 06-16’ was selected as a single unique plant from the resulting seedlings in summer of 2006. The specific parents are unknown.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by division in McIntosh, Fla. in 2006 by the Inventor. Propagation by division and tissue culture has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of ‘SPd 06-16’. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘SPd 06-16’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis.

-   -   1. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits flowers that are about 10 cm in diameter         and are golden yellow in color with gold-green throats.     -   2. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits flower petals that are oval in shape,         heavy in substance, and have lightly ruffled edges.     -   3. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits a blooming habit that commences very         early in the season with continuous rebloom until frost on         recurrent, branched scapes with high bud counts.     -   4. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits flowers that fully open under cool         growing conditions and cleanly shed spent flowers to allow new         buds to fully develop.     -   5. ‘SPd 06-16’ has foliage that is evergreen, semi-evergreen or         dormant depending on the growing climate, which allows its         suitability to a variety of growing climates.     -   6. ‘SPd 06-16’ is a tetraploid.     -   7. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits a compact plant habit with grass-like         foliage with short blooms scapes that allow for ease of         transporting of finished plants.     -   8. ‘SPd 06-16’ is readily propagated by division or tissue         culture and exhibits a fast multiplication rate (fan increase).     -   9. ‘SPd 06-16’ is cold and heat hardy at least in U.S.D.A. Zones         4 to 11.     -   10. ‘SPd 06-16’ exhibits a very high tolerance to daylily rust         (Puccinia hemerocallidis).

The new cultivar can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Big Bird’ (not patented) and ‘Stella d'Oro’ (not patented). Both cultivars are similar to ‘SPd 06-16’ in flower coloration. ‘Big Bird’ differs from ‘SPd 06-16’ in having wider foliage that goes dormant under all conditions, in being taller in height with taller un-branched scapes, in having less abundant flowers that are larger in size and do not open fully in cold weather, in commencing blooming later in the season with less recurrent blooming, in having less tolerance to daylily rust, and in having a slower multiplication rate. ‘Stella d'Oro’ differs from ‘SPd 06-16’ in having foliage that goes dormant under all conditions, in having less abundant flowers that are smaller in size, in commencing blooming later in the season, and in having un-branched scapes.

‘SPd 06-16’ can also be most closely compared to cultivars from the same breeding program. These cultivars differ from ‘Spd 06-16’ primarily in flower coloration. ‘SPd 06-02’ exhibits flowers that are golden yellow in color with maroon to burgundy red eyezones, ‘SPd 06-01’ exhibits flowers that are coral pink in color with rosy-red eyezones, ‘SPd 06-08’ exhibits flowers that are peach to melon in color with tangerine and pink highlights, ‘SPd 06-11’ exhibits flowers that are tomato red in color with a yellow-green throat, ‘SPd 06-12’ exhibits flowers that are burgundy rose in color with a darker burgundy eye, and ‘SPd 06-13’ exhibits flowers that are light yellow in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hemerocallis. The photographs were taken in early spring of a two year-old plant of ‘SPd 06-16’ as grown outdoors in a field plot from a single fan in McIntosh, Fla. without fungicide treatment, growth regulators or deadheading.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates its early flowering, grass-like foliage, high bud counts, short scapes, and self-cleaning of blooms of ‘SPd 06-16’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘SPd 06-16’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Hemerocallis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of a 2 year-old plant of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a 1-gallon container in McIntosh, Fla. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General characteristics:     -   -   Blooming period.—Commencing in March and recurrent until             frost in Florida.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, compact grass-like             foliage.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches 30 to 35 cm in height and spread,             flower scapes about the same height as foliage height.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 11.         -   Diseases and pests.—Has been observed to be highly tolerant             to daylily rust (Puccinia hemerocallidis).         -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.         -   Propagation.—Division and tissue culture.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous with a high multiplication rate (4             fans per fan per season). -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Sheathed to crown.         -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Longitudinal, parallel, not prominent, same             color as leaves.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sheathed, not petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Equitant, fan-shaped.         -   Leaf orientation.—Held upright and slightly pendulant from             mid section towards apex once matured.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous to slightly glaucous.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves (upper and lower surface); a blend             of 137C and 144A, mature leaves (upper and lower surface); a             blend of 137B and 144A.         -   Leaf size.—Up to 70 cm in length, 1.5 to 2.5 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 50 leaves per plant as grown in a             one-gallon container, 7 to 12 leaves per fan. -   Flower scape description:     -   -   Scape shape.—Oval, pithy.         -   Scape number.—1 to 2 per fan at one time, continuously             produced until frost.         -   Scape aspect.—Straight, held upright.         -   Scape size.—30 to 35 cm in length and 6 mm in width, with             branches an average of 2.4 cm in length and 4 mm in width.         -   Scape color.—Bend of 137B and 137C.         -   Scape surface.—Glabrous, slight sheen.         -   Scape branching.—1 branch per scape, internode length about             5 mm.         -   Scape leaves.—1 to 3 per branch fan, 146C in color, 2.5 cm             to 30 cm in length, 1 to 2 cm in width, sheathed base,             narrowly acuminate apex, glabrous to slightly glaucous             surface. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Scape bearing clusters of single             flowers, 1 to 2 flowers open at a time.         -   Inflorescence size.—Varies with opening of flowers, an             average of 14 cm in width and 9 cm in depth on per branch.         -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 24 hours, self cleaning.         -   Flower size.—An average of 5.3 cm in depth and 8.5 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower number.—16 to 18 per branched scape.         -   Flower aspect. —Upright to slightly outward.         -   Flower bud shape.—Oblong.         -   Flower bud color.—144A at base and apex, a blend of 144A and             15B in mid section.         -   Flower attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Petal number.—3.         -   Petal shape.—Orbicular and narrowing at base.         -   Petal color.—Upper surface; a blend of 14A and 14B with a             mid rib of 14C to 14D, lower surface; a blend of 15A and             15B, throat; blending of 14B with 144B and N144C.         -   Petal surface.—Glabrous, waxy, and satiny.         -   Petal margins.—Entire, slightly crenate, lightly ruffled.         -   Petal apex.—Obtuse.         -   Petal base.—Cuneate to truncate at very base.         -   Petal size.—Average of 5 cm in length and 4 cm in width.         -   Petal aspect.—Slightly recurved.         -   Sepal number.—3.         -   Sepal shape.—Elliptic.         -   Sepal margin.—Entire, slightly wavy.         -   Sepal size.—Average of 6.5 cm in length, 2.2 cm in width.         -   Sepal aspect.—Moderately recurved.         -   Sepal surface.—Glabrous, slightly satiny.         -   Sepal apex.—Acute.         -   Sepal base.—Fused.         -   Sepal color.—Upper surface; a blend of 14A and 14B with base             N144A to N144B, lower surface; a blend of 17B and 17C with             very apex 144A and suffused in mid section with N144B with             base N144C.         -   Peduncles.—An average of 3 cm in length and 3 mm in width,             oval in shape, strong, color 137A, held at about 45°             relative to stem.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 1 cm in length and 3 mm in width,             oval in shape, strong and stout, color blend of 137A, held             at about 20° relative to peduncle.         -   Pedicel leaf.—Lanceolate in shape, acuminate apex, truncate             base, an average of 7 mm in width and 9 mm in length, color             144A on upper surface and 144C on lower surface, surface is             glabrous and satiny. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, about 5.5 cm in length, style; 4.9 cm             in length, 2 mm in width 16B in color, stigmas; minute, 15C             in color, ovary; oblong in shape, 0.6 cm in length and 4 mm             in width, 144B in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 6, anthers; 6 mm in length and 1.5 mm             in width, 200A in color; filament; 2.9 cm in length, 1 mm in             width, 15C in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and 17B in             color.         -   Fruit/seeds.—None observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant named ‘SPd 06-16’ as herein illustrated and described. 